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• Advancing Inclusive Digital Well-Being Tools: How Neurodivergent Students Use Distraction Blockers

  Marvel Chrismatheo Hariadi, Kevin Chow, Joanna McGrenere · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper asks whether digital distraction blockers — Apple Screen Time, Forest, Freedom, StayFocusd, and similar tools — actually serve the neurodivergent post-secondary students who are arguably their most marginal audience, or whether blocker design silently…

  neurodivergence · ADHD · autism spectrum disorder · generalized anxiety disorder · distraction blockers

• ATTENPlay: A Game-Based Attention Network Test for Autistic Children

  Yuying Wan, Xin Tong, Kaishun Wu · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper addresses a long-standing methodological problem in autism research: the Attention Network Test (ANT) — the standard computerized tool for measuring alerting, orienting, and executive-control attention networks — is abstract, repetitive, and built for…

  autism · autism spectrum disorder · attention network test · cognitive assessment · game-based assessment

• LingoLift: Supporting Educators in Personalized Oral Language Teaching for Autistic Children through Content Generation

  Jiawen Zhang, Dongyijie Primo Pan, Li Wang, Pan Hui, Xin Tong · 2026 · Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  This CHI 2026 paper presents LingoLift, a generative AI system that supports special-education teachers and speech-language pathologists in preparing and delivering personalized oral language lessons for autistic children. The authors argue that existing autism-language tech…

  autism spectrum disorder · personalized learning · generative AI · oral language learning · human-AI collaboration

• Demonstrating InteractiSense: An Interactive Tool for Supporting Social Engagement for Children with ASD

  Won Kim, Chaeyeon Lim, Minwoo Seong, Kangbeen Ko, SeungJun Kim · 2026 · Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '26)

  InteractiSense is a sensing-integrated tangible prototype paired with a cooperative serious game called Treasure Hunters, designed to support social engagement for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The authors argue that ASD-related differences in cognitive, motor,…

  autism spectrum disorder · children with ASD · social engagement · serious games · tangible interaction

• INC-Hg: An Intelligent Collaborative Haptic-Gripper Virtual Reality System for Children with Autism to Develop Social Skills

  Yao Zhao, Nicole Shay, Jonathan Cofino, Debra Sterling, Erin Paquette, Adriana Debarros, Maria Gillen, Michelle Won, Zhigang Zhu, Cecilia Feeley, Amy Hurst · 2022 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents INC-Hg (Intelligent Collaborative Haptic-Gripper), a VR system designed to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) practice collaborative and social communication skills. The system addresses a significant challenge: traditional collaborative VR…

  autism spectrum disorder · virtual reality · collaborative learning · haptic feedback · intelligent agents

• Career Interview Readiness in Virtual Reality (CIRVR): A Platform for Simulated Interview Training for Autistic Individuals and Their Employers

  Deeksha Adiani, Aaron Itzkovitz, Dayi Bian, Harrison Katz, Michael Breen, Spencer Hunt, Amy Swanson, Timothy J. Vogus, Joshua Wade, Nilanjan Sarkar · 2022 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents CIRVR (Career Interview Readiness in Virtual Reality), a closed-loop adaptive VR platform designed to help autistic individuals practice job interview skills. The system addresses a critical employment barrier: only 10-50% of autistic adults are employed,…

  autism spectrum disorder · virtual reality · employment · job interviews · stress detection

• Providing and Accessing Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Mental Health Professionals, Community and Vocational Support Providers, and Adults with ASD

  Tiffany Thang, Alice Liang, Yechan Choi, Adrian Parrales, Sara H. Kuang, Sri Kurniawan, Heather Perez · 2021 · Proceedings of the 23rd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This experience report examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the provision and receipt of essential services for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at Hope Services, a community center for adults with developmental disabilities in California. The researchers…

  autism spectrum disorder · telehealth · COVID-19 · mental health · developmental disability

• CheerBrush: A Novel Interactive Augmented Reality Coaching System for Toothbrushing Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

  Z. Kevin Zheng, Nandan Sarkar, Amy Swanson, Amy Weitlauf, Zachary Warren, Nilanjan Sarkar · 2021 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  CheerBrush is an augmented reality system designed to teach toothbrushing skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many children with ASD struggle with toothbrushing due to differences in motor dexterity, learning styles, and sensory sensitivity—leading to poor…

  autism spectrum disorder · augmented reality · daily living skills · children · motor skills

• C-Hg: A Collaborative Haptic-Gripper Fine Motor Skill Training System for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

  Huan Zhao, Ashwaq Zaini Amat, Miroslava Migovich, Amy Swanson, Amy S. Weitlauf, Zachary Warren, Nilanjan Sarkar · 2021 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents C-Hg (Collaborative Haptic-gripper), a virtual reality training system designed to simultaneously address both fine motor skill deficits and social skill challenges in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The system uses a customized haptic gripper…

  autism spectrum disorder · fine motor skills · haptic feedback · collaborative virtual environment · social skills training

• Adults with High-functioning Autism Process Web Pages With Similar Accuracy but Higher Cognitive Effort Compared to Controls

  Victoria Yaneva, Le An Ha, Sukru Eraslan, Yeliz Yesilada · 2019 · Proceedings of the 16th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper investigates the accuracy and efficiency with which adults with high-functioning autism process web pages compared to neurotypical controls, using eye-tracking to reveal hidden cognitive effort differences. The study addresses a critical gap: existing web…

  autism spectrum disorder · eye tracking · cognitive accessibility · web accessibility · neurodivergence

• CHIMELIGHT: Augmenting Instruments in Interactive Music Therapy for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

  Joana Lobo, Soichiro Matsuda, Izumi Futamata, Ryoichi Sakuta, Kenji Suzuki · 2019 · Proceedings of the 21st International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This paper presents CHIMELIGHT, an IoT-based system that augments handchime musical instruments with real-time visual feedback to support music therapists working with children who have neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD. The…

  music therapy · neurodevelopmental disorder · autism spectrum disorder · ADHD · children

• Design of a Physiology-based Adaptive Virtual Reality Driving Platform for Individuals with ASD

  Dayi Bian, Joshua W. Wade, Lian Zhang, Amy Swanson, Medda Sarkar, Zachary Warren, Nilanjan Sarkar · 2019 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents VDEAR (VR-based Driving Environment with Adaptive Response), a novel closed-loop virtual reality driving simulator designed specifically for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The system addresses a critical gap in driving intervention for teens…

  autism spectrum disorder · virtual reality · driving simulation · physiological computing · dynamic difficulty adjustment

• Designing Gesture-Based Applications for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Guidelines from User Studies in India

  Sumita Sharma, Blessin Varkey, Krishnaveni Achary, Jaakko Hakulinen, Markku Turunen, Tomi Heimonen, Saurabh Srivastava, Nitendra Rajput · 2018 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This paper presents the design, evaluation, and resulting guidelines from three gesture-based applications created for individuals with developmental disabilities in India, developed through a long-term collaboration with Tamana, an NGO and special education school in New Delhi.…

  developmental disabilities · gesture interaction · special education · inclusive design · Global South accessibility

• Design of a Haptic-Gripper Virtual Reality System (Hg) for Analyzing Fine Motor Behaviors in Children with Autism

  Huan Zhao, Zhaobo Zheng, Amy Swanson, Amy Weitlauf, Zachary Warren, Nilanjan Sarkar · 2018 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents Hg (Haptic-Gripper), a novel virtual reality system designed to assess and train fine motor skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While research on ASD has extensively focused on social and communication deficits, motor impairments—which…

  autism spectrum disorder · fine motor skills · haptic feedback · virtual reality · grip force

• Effects of Virtual Reality Properties on User Experience of Individuals with Autism

  Lal "Lila" Bozgeyikli, Evren Bozgeyikli, Andrew Raij, Redwan Alqasemi, Srinivas Katkoori, Rajiv Dubey · 2018 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study systematically examines how five virtual reality user interface attributes affect the experience of high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). The research addresses a critical gap in VR design guidelines for autistic users, particularly in…

  autism spectrum disorder · virtual reality · user interface design · vocational training · user experience

• Introducing People with ASD to Crowd Work

  Kotaro Hara, Jeffrey P. Bigham · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper explores whether crowdsourcing platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) can provide viable employment opportunities for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). With an estimated 50-75% unemployment rate among adults with ASD in the U.S., the authors investigate…

  autism spectrum disorder · crowdsourcing · employment · micro-tasks · assistive technology

• CymaSense: A Novel Audio-Visual Therapeutic Tool for People on the Autism Spectrum

  John McGowan, Grégory Leplâtre, Iain McGregor · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper presents CymaSense, an interactive multimodal tool that generates real-time 3D visual representations of sound based on Cymatics — the study of visible patterns created by sound vibrations in physical media like water or metal plates. The system was designed to…

  autism spectrum disorder · music therapy · assistive technology · multimodal interaction · sensory processing

• Using Participatory Design with Proxies with Children with Limited Communication

  Foad Hamidi, Melanie Baljko, Isabel Gómez · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper explores the use of Participatory Design with Proxies (PDwP) as a methodology for including children with severe communication limitations in the design of digital technologies. PDwP is a variation of participatory design where people familiar with the target users —…

  participatory design · children with disabilities · communication accessibility · augmentative and alternative communication · design methodology

• Evaluating an iPad Game to Address Overselectivity in Preliterate AAC Users with Minimal Verbal Behavior

  LouAnne E. Boyd, Kathryn E. Ringland, Heather Faucett, Alexis Hiniker, Kimberley Klein, Kanika Patel, Gillian R. Hayes · 2017 · Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS '17)

  This paper evaluates Go Go Games, an iPad-based therapeutic game suite designed to teach Multiple Cue Responding (MCR) to preliterate, minimally verbal children who exhibit overselectivity — a learning challenge where individuals attend to only one or a few features of a…

  augmentative and alternative communication · autism spectrum disorder · children · cognitive accessibility · game accessibility

• Process Measures of Dyadic Collaborative Interaction for Social Skills Intervention in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

  Joshua Wade, Arpan Sarkar, Amy Swanson, Amy Weitlauf, Zachary Warren, Nilanjan Sarkar · 2017 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents DOSE (Dyad-Operated Social Encouragement), an open-source collaborative game and data acquisition platform designed for social skills intervention in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The system addresses a gap in existing technology-based…

  autism spectrum disorder · social skills · collaborative games · dyadic interaction · process measures

• Vocational Rehabilitation of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder with Virtual Reality

  Lal Bozgeyikli, Evren Bozgeyikli, Andrew Raij, Redwan Alqasemi, Srinivas Katkoori, Rajiv Dubey · 2017 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This paper presents VR4VR, a comprehensive virtual reality system designed to train individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder on transferable job skills. The system addresses a critical employment gap—while 66% of people with disabilities want employment, people with ASD have…

  virtual reality · autism spectrum disorder · vocational rehabilitation · job training · immersive technology

• Tablet-Based Activity Schedule in Mainstream Environment for Children with Autism and Children with ID

  Charles Fage, Léonard Pommereau, Charles Consel, Emilie Balland, Hélène Sauzéon · 2016 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)

  This paper presents Classroom Schedule+ (CS+), a tablet-based activity schedule application designed to support the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream school environments. Developed through participatory design with mainstream teachers,…

  autism spectrum disorder · intellectual disability · mainstream inclusion · activity schedule · tablet

• How 3D Virtual Humans Built by Adolescents with ASD Affect Their 3D Interactions

  Chao Mei, Lee Mason, John Quarles · 2015 · ASSETS '15: Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This research investigates whether allowing adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to customize the appearance of virtual humans in a 3D training game improves their interaction performance and user experience. The authors developed "Imagination Soccer," a Kinect-based…

  autism spectrum disorder · virtual reality · customization · hand-eye coordination · training games

• Usability Issues with 3D User Interfaces for Adolescents with High Functioning Autism

  Chao Mei, Lee Mason, John Quarles · 2014 · ASSETS '14: Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper investigates how adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perform basic 3D user interface tasks compared to typically developed (TD) peers. While VR and 3D interfaces are increasingly used in ASD therapy (e.g., driving simulation, social skills…

  autism spectrum disorder · virtual reality · 3D user interfaces · spatial cognition · hand-eye coordination

• Tablet-Based Activity Schedule for Children with Autism in Mainstream Environment

  Charles Fage, Léonard Pommereau, Charles Consel, Émilie Balland, Hélène Sauzéon · 2014 · ASSETS '14: Proceedings of the 16th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This paper presents Classroom Schedule+ (CS+), a tablet-based activity schedule application designed to support the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in mainstream classrooms. Unlike previous activity schedule technologies designed for special education…

  autism spectrum disorder · education · inclusive education · activity schedules · tablet